96 THE ACOMA INDIANS 



[KTH. i 



of dancers having its owii song. Cura'tca does not dance, but lights 

 the pile of wood at each station. They proceed to all of the dancing 

 stations in this manner, and then on to the pile of wood in front of 

 the Com clan house. When they have danced here, some Corn clan 

 women come out and take the jar of water, the rabbits, and the charred 

 wood from Cura'tca and carry them into the house of the Com clan. 

 Then they all go inside, immask, bathe, and have a feast. 



The nawai' of the Com clan (the headman) calls the war chief to 

 the Corn clan house and gives him the jar of water. The war chief 

 takes it to the cacique, who orders him to take it to every house in 

 the pueblo, giving each household a few drops. If there is any water 

 left after this is done, a few drops are put into the water resersoirs 

 on the mesa. If any remains then, the cacique sprinkles some, with 

 prayers, to the cardinal points. Then, if any still remains, the 

 cacique puts it in his household jar. The charcoal is distributed by 

 the Corn clan women to each household in the pueblo, a small bit 

 being placed in each fireplace. '* 



The Oti, or Warriors' Society 



There used to be a society of warriors at Acoma. This group was 

 composed of men who had killed an enemy. The Idlling, however, 

 must be accomphshed according to definite prescription. The con- 

 test would be hand to hand. The Acoma warrior would mortally 

 wound his opponent, who would fall.*" Then the victor would take 

 his scalp; he would place his thumb on the crown of the head for a 

 measure and cut around the thumb. The Acoma warrior, ha%Tng 

 removed the scalp, would chew the flesh and swallow a bit of it.*' 

 Then he sings \vith the scalp to the four cardinal points. Wlien he 

 has finished singing he goes to a large red ant hill and draws the scalp 

 across it four times to the cardinal points. Then he picks the scalp 

 up and flings it to his comrade, saying "dyum"" (brother). His com- 

 rade catches the scalp; this makes liim an opi, too. When the other 

 warriors come up they strip all clothing from the two men and throw 

 them on the ant hill. The ants sting them severely. This makes 

 them strong and capable of enduring great pain. When they come 

 back to the pueblo a scalp dance is held.*^ 



^ My informant was not sure of the meaning of the ceremony. He thought it emphasized (and drama- 

 tized) the importance of fire — "all over the whole world." The importance of water, too, is symbolized. 

 But why the Com clan performs this ceremony rather than some other unit and why those particular 

 k*a"'tsina are represented he could not say. 



8* One informant stated that the f(» in falling had to touch the Acoma warrior, otherwise he could 

 not become an o'pi. This was denied by a second informant. 



81 The second informant said that one did not chew the scalp. 



« The scalp dance will be described in connection with the k'acale. 



